Coming Home
by Shadokin
Summary: Post-Dark Earth.  Terra's back at the Tower. Raven wants to talk. *oneshot series*


_A/N: This is a sequel fic to the Dark Earth one-shot, so it would make sense to go and read that one first. However, I have no control over what you do, so as long as you can sleep at night, have at thee._

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><p>The team would never realize the betrayal they avoided thanks to Robin. Since he made the call to his former partner in Gotham the Dark Knight got to Terra before Slade could. He took the earth manipulator back with him, where she met Superman, and under the guidance of two of the world's greatest heroes they helped train her with her powers. When they weren't fighting crime that is. Otherwise, Alfred was who she ended up providing her company.<p>

When Terra finally did come back to the Tower, most of the team was shocked. No one had known where she had been up until this point. Robin looked like he wanted to question her stay in Gotham but kept his lips sealed while they welcomed her back. Noticing this, she followed his lead and said nothing about where she had been.

For Terra, coming back was a tad dreamlike. When Batman had talked to her about the Titans, he often referred to them as her team. She felt like she had a place with them, but she was aware of the circumstance when she left and so after the bone crushing hug from Starfire, the girl asked if the offer to join the team was still open.

Now, here she was, standing on the rooftop of the Tower as she overlooked the setting sun. She had only come back the day before, and by the looks of it she was indeed staying.

"We need to talk." Raven said, suddenly standing before Terra with her hands on her hips. Terra felt her insides grow hot as she stared back at the Titan before her. She knew this was coming.

"I know." She finally managed to speak, but Raven said nothing about the delayed response. Her eyes were narrowed, her shoulders where squared. Raven looked intimidating, but in truth the older Titan was simply confused, concerned, and wanted answers.

"For a week you stayed with us. And then you just took off without saying anything." The confusion was apparent in Raven's voice, filling Terra with shame and guilt. She lowered her head.

"Well, I thought Beast Boy told everyone my secret." It was why she ran out. It happened when Robin and Beast Boy had come to propose another offer to her about being a member of the team. She had done a good job of avoiding giving an answer for the almost the whole week until they cornered her in the common room.

Raven's eyes seemed to bear into Terra. The earth manipulator wasn't sure how much longer she could look back before she lost focus.

"And your powers," Raven broke the silence quickly enough, realizing that they were having what could be interpreted as a staring contest. "How did you get control over them so quickly?"

This made Terra hesitate, not sure when, or if Robin was okay with them knowing where she was. Even though he was quite popular from his work back in Gotham he hardly talked about his past with the team. But she didn't want to lie either.

"Robin. He, uh, got me in touch with someone. Someone who could help." Terra explained carefully. Raven seemed to understand this.

"So in four months you managed complete control?" Raven inquired still; disbelief apparent in her voice.

Terra bit her lip, recalling her time in Gotham and what she learned there. It was not her first stay in the city, but it was the first time with other heroes. Quite super ones at that.

"No," She said, "I haven't. Not yet. They helped me with so much already. But there's only so much preparation that can be done, and I wasn't going to be there forever." Terra held her arm nervously, ignoring the urge to completely face away from the other girl's eyes.

"I see." Raven replied after a beat. Some things could only be learned through life rather than simple instruction. Whoever had taken Terra under their wing seemed to do well, the fragile girl the Titans had saw before didn't seem to be the same one now. She wasn't overconfident either though, and was willing to earn her place on the team.

"That's good." Terra said, breaking out into a smile. Her and Raven had only talked once before, two days before Terra had left. It was good to converse with her again.

Raven's arms dropped to her sides. While she remained silent, she had a good idea of where Terra had been after her leave. For a while she was unsure as the rest of the team, and when Robin said nothing she eventually was able to tell. He was often silent when the team talked about Terra, and when he did talk he seemed sure or dismissive about her possible whereabouts.

"We will help you, Terra," Raven said to the girl, "But trust is a two way street."

She had no problem with Terra. However, the team knew so little about her. It wasn't a bad thing, since when the Titans formed no one really knew anything about each other. Terra had run off though, and she probably was unaware of how much that affected the team when she did.

Terra's smile faded. "I won't let you down, Raven." She told her with extra care.

Raven arched a brow.

"The team." Terra added in. "I won't let the team – our team, or you, down..." She trailed off.

Terra wondered how Raven would react when she called the team with a possessive noun. They hadn't rejected her thus far, but she was still nervous about verbally acknowledging that even though she still had no communicator the team didn't want her to leave again.

The sorceress only nodded with appreciation, hearing the honesty in the earth mover's words. Then a passing silence. Raven felt compelled to ask.

"There is one thing I'm curious about." She began, "You told us about what happened with Slade in the mines." Terra had explained to the team yesterday, the meeting with the mastermind. She waited in anticipation for whatever Raven wanted to mention.

"I have to say I'm surprised you didn't take him up on his offer." Raven pointed out. She didn't mean to insult the younger girl's will but it seemed quite plausible. Terra had little control over her powers, and in steps Slade. To her, his way with words had ebbed their way into the girl to lead her to him when the time came.

"To be honest?" Terra said, earning a nod from the woman to continue, "If Robin didn't make the call, I probably would have." It was true, he had timed it right. If Batman had found her just a few hours later than he did she probably would have been long gone by that point.

"Slade said he would wait for me, he said he could help me. I thought, after I left, he would be the only option." Terra was just lucky that wasn't the case.

"And now?" Raven asked. Terra gave a light smile, shaking her head.

"I know better now." She said, turning from Raven and watching the last moments of the departing sun. Raven followed her action, turning to watch the yellow light bleed pink in the sky as it dipped back behind the line of the horizon.

They stood together in a comfortable quiet. Soon the sun went away and the day turned to an early night. Slade hadn't made any moves since the last time Terra was at the Tower. He had all but vanished, but it still had the Titans on edge. Still, there was nothing they could do until he showed up again. They would be ready for when that happened.

"Terra?" A voice came from behind. Terra and Raven turned to see the leader of the Teen Titans standing by the door. He still wanted to talk to her, and Terra knew they would need to have this conversation.

"Right." She said back. Terra cast a look to Raven, who nodded in understanding. Terra smiled, she's been doing that a lot lately, and began to walk over to the boy wonder.

"Terra," Raven called, and the earth user stopped, turning back to look at the older woman. The sorceress of the team kept her face indifferent, but her eyes betrayed her. She, like the others, was glad for Terra's return.

"Welcome home."

She watched as Terra's eyes lit up, the girl smiled again and nodded at her. Robin also smiled from where he was, arms crossed as he waited for the blonde to follow him back inside.

"It's good to have you back, Terra." He said low enough for her to hear as she came up to him. Terra blinked. Looking at the masked boy she knew she would be forever in his debt. She didn't mind. She was home.

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><p><em>The plan is a series of one-shots explaining a different story that's now allowed to develop because of what Robin did. There will be relation to the canon, but it will also be different. Yes, I did sort of skip over the whole Gotham trip - but that event is not the center of this plot. Merely a device to carry it along. Also, yes, it is being implied that Terra has feelings for Raven. That's how the fic rolls. <em>

_Let me know how you took it in a review - constructive criticism only - if you would be so kind. _


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